DURBAN - The IFP Youth Brigade has called on the ANC and Water and Sanitation Minister Senzo Mchunu to relinquish administrative duties in uMkhanyakude District Municipality and hand back the municipality to the party voted for by the people.
The municipality was put under administration after it failed to table its budget at a stipulated time. Its council meetings did not have a quorum, because of political instability.
The two major political parties within uMkhanyakude were at loggerheads because of the motions raised by both parties.
But, during this year’s local government elections, the IFP won.
Now, it wants to be given powers to govern the municipality.
IFPYB Deputy National Chairperson Sanele Zondo said the IFP noted with great regret, that the ANC continues to deny people of uMkhanyakude District the right to be governed by the party of their choice.
“Further, they have seized the municipality and taken over its functions, as they deem it a non-functional entity,” Zondo said.
Adding that the problem is not the municipality, but people in strategic positions.
Zondo said: “The IFP must be given a chance to serve the people of uMkhanyakude, as mandated by the people through the vote. Their performance cannot be judged based on the incompetence of the previous ANC-led administration.”
He revealed that the IFP was reliably informed that “over R100 million disappeared in the process of providing water and sanitation services, and fixing roads, among others. This was allegedly discovered during a meeting held at Galaxy Forest Lodge by the Minister of Water and Sanitation.”
“Not so long ago, Mchunu, decided to take away the administrative functions from uMkhanyakude District Municipality and now the Municipality is relegated and exists only to pay salaries,” Zondo said.
He added that the ANC have on record governed uMkhanyakude for a full decade and “none of the national government officials made such mischievous allegations before.”
Zondo demanded that Mchunu and the ANC give the municipality to the party voted for by the people and “relinquish all those administrative functions and services to the rightful government.”
To comment on this story send a WhatsApp message to our BackChat column on 071 485 7995
Daily News